Good design matters. It’s the way we make sense of everything around us, and the best design is often the simplest one that works. Good Office Day was created by two highly organized architects with a passion for design and the simplest, most functional tools of the trade, including notebooks, binders and the like. Here, cofounder Chris Plantan shares more on the inspiration behind the Good Office Day brand, the importance of sustainability, the Wayzata pop-up shop and more.
Photography provided by Good Office Day
What inspired the creation of the Good Office Day brand?
We want to feel good about our days. And sometimes that means paying a little more attention to the details and the things that make us sit up and take notice. So we set out to create a line of work tools that not only inspired us with spot-on design details but that also made us feel good. The feeling good part is knowing that the products are sustainably produced and have a circular ecosystem. We don’t want to be preachy, but we do want to promote the good that can go into products and the good that can happen after product use. We also know the good that can go into a simple greeting like, “Have a good office day!”
All Good Office Day’s products are clean. How did you achieve this?
We set our sights on renewable resources for materials like bamboo and sugarcane. We limited the over manufacturing that comes with complex printing and packaging, and we designed the product to be curbside recyclable and compostable. We’ve learned a lot along this journey and strive to be better producers and consumers.
Can you share more about including sustainable calls-to-action on all goods?
I hope they are gentle reminders to discard all products in the best way possible. For some, recycling is easy. For others, composting is the way to go. I never knew the importance of paper in composting and how it creates air pockets and contributes to healthy nitrogen-rich soil. We wanted to provide options for end-of-cycle use that were simple to understand.
Do you have any favorite Good Office Day designs?
I have to say, the debossing and embossing on the notebook covers makes me so happy. The nature motifs are grounding. I can’t pass up the paper pads either. And the fan-favorite folio with elastic is just so practical. All these products make me proud!
What other exciting brands are available at the Good Office Day pop-up in Wayzata?
This is the fun part. We have enjoyed collaborating and communicating with other like-minded brands and are pleased to offer Maison Louis Marie candles and scents. We also carry L’Avant Collective, offering plant-based dish soaps that really work alongside other beautiful home and cleaning products. One of our favorite additions are architectural watercolor cards from Paris. These beautiful, oversize cards are available in an alphabet series and other architectural motifs. Behrens is a Minnesota cult favorite, and we carry the galvanized buckets and our favorite, the enameled compost bins. These bins make it easy for anyone to compost, even if you live in a studio apartment. It has been fun connecting with these brands and listening to customers make their recommendations, too!
Visit Good Office Day’s Wayzata Pop-Up Shop in downtown Wayzata.
